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. 1990 Nov;89:13–19. doi: 10.1289/ehp.908913

Lead exposure and neurobehavioral development in later infancy.

K N Dietrich 1, P A Succop 1, R L Bornschein 1, K M Krafft 1, O Berger 1, P B Hammond 1, C R Buncher 1
PMCID: PMC1567801  PMID: 2088739

Abstract

A prospective methodology was used to assess the neurobehavioral effects of fetal and postnatal lead exposure during the first 2 years of life. Lead was measured in whole blood prenatally in mothers and at quarterly intervals in the infant. Prenatal blood lead levels were low (mean = 8.0 micrograms/dL). However, approximately 25% of the study infants had at least one serial blood lead level of 25 micrograms/dL or higher during the second year of life. Multiple regression and structural equation analyses revealed statistically significant relationships between prenatal and neonatal blood lead level and 3- and 6-month Bayley Mental and/or Psychomotor Development Index. However, by 2 years of age, no statistically significant effects of prenatal or postnatal lead exposure on neurobehavioral development could be detected. Data consistent with the hypothesis that a postnatal neurobehavioral growth catch-up occurred in infants exposed fetally to higher levels of lead are presented.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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